[BILL 102.] COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 7 April 1881)

§ MR. M. BROOKS
said, he entertained a strong objection to the clause. It proposed to repeal several Acts of Parliament which had been passed between the years 1868 and 1871; but the Committee would be surprised when he told them that it was proposed by this clause to enable Tramway Companies to carry tramways over ordinary roads at any level, even at a level 5, 6, or 7 inches higher than the level of the road, and thus render the roadway almost incapable of ordinary traffic. When the Bill was before a Committee, General Hutchinson, of the Board of Trade, stated that the laying of rails on the roads in this way would be productive of the highest inconvenience, and would prevent the ordinary traffic of the roads being carried on. Under those circumstances, and at that late hour, he submitted that the Committee ought not to pass this clause. The measure had been brought forward almost without Notice, and he firmly believed that if the opinion of the House had been taken upon it, it would have been rejected. Ho would, therefore, move that the Chairman report Progress, and ask leave to sit again.

§ MR. TOTTENHAM
said, the Bill had been referred to a Select Committee, by 973 whom the questions raised had been fully considered. It was considered that sufficient precautions would be taken to meet the objections of the kinds urged by the hon. Member opposite, by requiring that the consent of the Grand Juries and the Lord Lieutenant in Council should be obtained, and they had altered and amended the clause with that view. He trusted the clause would be allowed to pass.

§ MR. M. BROOKS
did not think that a Bill that provided for the turning of ordinary roads into railroads should be allowed to pass at that hour (2.25). If the Bill passed, it would reduce by one-half the width of every road upon which the tramway was proposed to be constructed.